Watch the “Parade of Lights”, the Fort Walton Beach Christmas Parade which took place on December 5, 2016 on Eglin Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Presented by the City of Fort Walton Beach and sponsored by Santa Rosa Mall.
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Inaugural ODA 595 Horse Soldiers Reunion 2022
On October 22, 2022, the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted the Inaugural ODA 595 Horse Soldiers Reunion at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. Ted Corcoran, CEO of the FWB Chamber, was Master of Ceremony.
Below is a replay video of the event. If you have a Smart TV, search for and install the VidFlow app to watch this video on your big screen TV. This video player also also you to select chapter points to specific speakers and presentations.
Ten of the original 12 members of ODA 595 were in attendance for this inaugural reunion event.
Captain Mark Nutsch – Detachment Commander
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bob Pennington – Assistant Detachment Commander
Master Sergeant Paul Evans – Team and Operations Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Andy Marchal – Intelligence Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Steve Kofron. – Weapons Sergeant
Staff Sergeant Mike Elmore – Weapons Sergeant
Staff Sergeant Chad Jacklet– Engineer Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Steve Bleigh—Medical Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Vince Makela – Communications Sergeant
Staff Sergeant Will Summers– Communications Sergeant
Not in Attendance:
- Staff Sergeant USAF Steve E. Tomat – Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)
- Staff Sergeant USAF Joseph Matt Lienhard– Air Force Special Operations Combat Controller from Special Tactics Squadron
Several prominent guest speakers included Florida House District #4 representative Patt Maney, former CIA Directorate of Operations officer Alex Hernandez, former USAF Chief of Staff for a Theater Special, retired Col Glenn Thomas, and the son of Doolittle Raiders Col Dick Cole, Richard Cole.
A special commemorative canteen cup was created by the Bohlin Company and presented to each member of ODA 595 in honor and recognition of their heroic actions in America’s first response against the Taliban after the 911 attack.
This event was made possible through the support of several local community sponsors.
If you are interested in learning more about ODA 595 as well as other stories about America’s 1st response to the 911 attacks, check out these sources:
First Casualty by Toby Harnden
Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton
Swords of Lightning – Green Beret Horse Soldiers and America’s Response to 911
12 Strong – The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers
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Official 2017 Billy Bowlegs Torchlight Parade
Watch the 62nd Billy Bowlegs Torchlight Parade, sponsored by Windcreek Casino & Hotel at Atmore, and hosted by the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
The parade took place on June 5, 2017 and ends a weekend of fun with the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, which takes place every year on the 1st weekend of June and features the Krewe of Bowlegs, as well as other Krewes from the local area to as far as Minnesota.
If you have an event you would like to be available for online viewing, contact Emerald Coast TV at 850-244-7100.
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Boot Bowl IV – Air Force vs Army vs Navy Flag Football
Join EmeraldCoastTV.com and Helen Back for the LIVE stream of Boot Bowl IV on Saturday, December 10, 2016 at Etheredge Stadium in Fort Walton Beach. It’s the Air Force taking on Army and Navy in a flag football tournament. First game starts at 10am CST.
Entry fee and all the money raised from the games will benefit the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast. For more information about the Boot Bowl, its sponsors and the charities it supports, got to www.BootBowl.com .
